Non-compliant Group Research Articles

To comply or not comply? A latent profile analysis of behaviours and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How and why do people comply with protective behaviours during COVID-19? The emerging literature employs a variable-centered approach, typically using a narrow selection of constructs within a study. This study is the first to adopt a person-centred approach to identify complex patterns of compliance, and holistically examine underlying psychological differences, integrating multiple psychology paradigms and epidemiology. 1575 participants from Australia, US, UK, and Canada indicated their behaviours, attitudes, personality, cognitive/decision-making ability, resilience, adaptability, coping, political and cultural factors, and information consumption during the pandemic’s first wave. Using Latent Profile Analysis, two broad groups were identified. The compliant group (90%) reported greater worries, and perceived protective measures as effective, whilst the non-compliant group (about 10%) perceived them as problematic. The non-compliant group were lower on agreeableness and cultural tightness-looseness, but more extraverted, and reactant. They utilised more maladaptive coping strategies, checked/trusted the news less, and used official sources less. Females showed greater compliance than males. By promoting greater appreciation of the complexity of behaviour during COVID-19, this research provides a critical platform to inform future studies, public health policy, and targeted behaviour change interventions during pandemics. The results also challenge age-related stereotypes and assumptions.

Assessment of the Compliance with 0.1% Cyclosporine A in Dry-Eye Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome

Purpose: To evaluate the compliance with 0.1% cyclosporine A in dry eye patients with Sjögren's syndrome and identify factors affecting the compliance. Methods: This study included 67 dry eye patients with Sjögren's syndrome who had used 0.1% cyclosporine A for over 6 months. Clinical parameters including sex, age, the number of eye drops used, side effects, the use of steroid eye drops, and the visit interval were investigated. Additionally, the ocular surface disease index, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer test score, and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score were assessed. Patients were classified into compliant and non-compliant groups, using a criterion of 50% compliance; relevant factors were evaluated accordingly. Results: Of the 67 patients, 36 (53.7%) were classified into the compliant group and 31 (46.3%) into the non-compliant group. Compared to the non-compliant group, the compliant group showed a longer TBUT (p = 0.03) and a lower CFS score (p = 0.04) at 6 months of follow-up. Altogether, 39 subjects (58.2%) experienced side effects, of which the most common was stinging pain (71.8%). In the multivariate analysis, severe dry-eye symptoms (p = 0.03), non-use of the steroid eye drops (p = 0.02), and longintervals between exam vitists (p = 0.02) were identified as factors reducing compliance. Conclusions: Factors related to a decrease in the compliance with 0.1% cyclosporine A in dry-eye patients with Sjögren's syndrome, included severe dry eye symptoms, long visit intervals, and non-use of steroid eye drops. Taking these factors into consideration may help increase patient compliance.

Compliance with status epilepticus management protocol and effect on clinical outcomes in children with status epilepticus

BackgroundGuidelines for the management of status epilepticus (SE) aid in rationalising the treatment for a better clinical outcome; however, published literature regarding the use of antiepileptics and compliance is limited,...

Compliance With Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Individual Participant Data Statement for Meta-Analyses Published for Stroke Studies.

Individual-participant data meta-analyses (IPD-MA) are powerful evidence synthesis studies which are considered the gold-standard of MA. The quality of reporting in these studies is guided by the 2015 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data (PRISMA-IPD) guidelines. The growing number of IPD-MA published for stroke studies calls for an assessment of the compliance of these studies with the PRISMA-IPD statement. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for MA in stroke published between January 1, 2016, and March 30, 2020, in journals with impact factor >2. Literature reviews, scoping reviews, and aggregate MA were excluded. The final articles were scored using the 31-item PRISMA-IPD checklist. Results were depicted using descriptive statistics. Compliance with each item in PRISM-IPD guideline was recorded. The study was defined as compliant to IPD analyses if it satisfied all IPD specific items. From an initial set of 321 articles, 31 met the final eligibility for data extraction. Only 4 (13%) described the use of PRISMA-IPD guidelines in their methodology, while 8/31 (26%) used the old PRISMA guidelines and 19/31 (61%) followed none. Regardless of mention of using IPD specific guidelines, 42% (n=13) of studies were compliant with all 4 IPD specific domains. The poorest areas of compliance were bias assessment within (32%) and across (39%) studies, reporting protocol and registration (42%), and reporting of IPD integrity (48%). The median journal impact factor was similar between the compliant (median, 8.1 [interquartile range, 5.4–39.9]) and noncompliant (median, 6 [interquartile range, 4.5–16.2]) groups (P=0.24). Similarly, the journal, country of correspondence, number of authors, number of studies included in MA, study sample size, and funding source were statistically similar between the groups. For the published IPD-MA stroke studies, the compliance with PRISMA-IPD statement and compliance with 4 IPD specific items was suboptimal. The journal, author, and study-related factors were not associated with compliance. Additional scrutiny measures to ensure adherence to mandated guidelines might increase the compliance. Several avenues to improve compliance and ensure optimal adherence are discussed.

A 1-hour Bundle compliance survey of the "Surviving Sepsis Campaign" and its impact on the prognosis of sepsis patients: a multicenter, prospective observational cohort study

To investigate clinicians' compliance with the 2018 Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) update "1-hour sepsis Bundle therapy" (1-hour Bundle) when treating patients with Sepsis 3 in the intensive care unit (ICU), and to analyze its impact on patient outcomes. A multicenter, prospective observational cohort study was conducted. A total of 153 ICU patients in Ziyang First People's Hospital, Ziyang People's Hospital and Yanjiang District People's Hospital who were diagnosed of sepsis by the definition and diagnostic criteria of Sepsis 3 from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected. Among them, 95 patients who had completed 1-hour Bundle were divided into the Bundle compliance group. 58 patients who did not complete the Bundle within 1 hours were classified as the Bundle non-compliance group. The distribution of pathogenic bacteria and infected sites, 1-hour Bundle compliance and 28-day survival in the 3 hospitals were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the prognostic between the two groups of sepsis patients. Cox regression model was used to draw a 28-day survival curve to evaluate the survival of the patients in the two groups. Among 153 sepsis patients in 3 hospitals, the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria was 61.44% (94/153), and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 79.79% (75/94). The top 3 infection sites were respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system, accounted for 32.0%, 28.1% and 18.3%, respectively. In the 3 hospitals, 62.09% (95/153) of patients fully implemented the 1-hour Bundle. The poorly implemented indicators in the 1-hour Bundle were 1-hour blood microbial culture [77.78% (119/153)] and 1-hour antimicrobial application [79.74% (122/153)]. There was no significant difference in the baseline indicators between Bundle compliance and non-compliance groups. Univariate analysis showed that the main prognostic indicators: 28-day survival rate in the Bundle compliance group was significantly higher than that in the Bundle non-compliance group [80.00% (76/95) vs. 62.06% (36/58), χ2 = 6.447, P = 0.014]. Secondary evaluation indicators: mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 6 hours and 24 hours in the Bundle compliance group were significantly higher than those in the Bundle non-compliance group [mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 78.22±11.25 vs. 69.86±14.04, 79.78±11.45 vs. 75.35±12.90]. However, the median length of in hospital stay in the Bundle compliance group was significantly longer than that in the Bundle non-compliance group [days: 13 (17) vs. 6 (11)], with statistically significant differences (all P < 0.05). Bivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that 6 hours and 24 hours MAP were risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with sepsis [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.064 (0.994-1.102), 1.032 (1.003-1.063), both P < 0.05]. The 1-hour Bundle compliance rate of ICU patients with sepsis in 3 hospitals of Ziyang City was 62.09%, and the compliance is still to be improved, especially for the 2 aspects of empirical antimicrobial use and microbial culture retention before antimicrobial use. The 28-day survival rate in the Bundle compliance group was significantly higher than that in the Bundle non-compliance group, suggesting that the 1-hour Bundle regimen can improve the prognosis of patients with sepsis.

P1037 - Impact of health-related quality of life on repeat protocol biopsy compliance on active surveillance for favorable prostate cancer: Results from a prospective cohort in the PRIAS-JAPAN study

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to evaluate how health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is related to repeat protocol biopsy compliance. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from a prospective cohort in the Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS)-JAPAN study between January 2010 and August 2019. We used the Short Form 8 Health Survey (SF-8), as patient-reported outcomes, to assess HRQOL at AS enrollment and the first year of the protocol. The physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) were calculated from SF-8 questionnaires. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the association of HRQOL at enrollment on the first repeat biopsy compliance. The secondary outcome was the comparison of SF-8 scores during AS, stratified by repeat protocol biopsy compliance. Results Of 805 patients who proceeded to the first year of the protocol, the non-compliance rate was 15% (121 patients). In the adjusted model, lower MCS at enrollment was significantly associated with the first repeat protocol biopsy non-compliance (odds ratio [OR], 2.134; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.031-4.42; P = 0.041) but not in lower PCS (OR, 0.667; 95% CI, 0.294-1.514; P = 0.333). All subscales of SF-8 were lower in the non-compliance group than in the compliance group at any point. MCS in the non-compliance group improved over time from the time of AS enrollment (2.34 increased, P = 0.152). Conclusion Our data suggest that lower MCS at AS enrollment using patient-reported outcomes was negatively associated with the first repeat protocol biopsy compliance. Our study may support the availability of a simple questionnaire to extract non-compliance.

A Guideline-Based Decision Tree Achieves Better Glucose Control with Less Hypoglycemia at 3 Months in Chinese Diabetic Patients.

IntroductionChina has the world’s largest diabetes epidemic and has been facing a serious shortage of primary care providers for chronic diseases including diabetes. To help primary care physicians follow guidelines and mitigate the workload in primary care communities in China, we developed a guideline-based decision tree. This study aimed to validate it at 3 months with real-world data.MethodsThe decision tree was developed based on the 2017 Chinese Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) guideline and 2018 guideline for primary care. It was validated with the data from two registry studies: the NEW2D and ORBIT studies. Patients’ data were divided into two groups: the compliance and non-compliance group, depending on whether the physician’s prescription was consistent with the decision tree or not. The primary outcome was the difference of change in HbA1c from baseline to 3 months between the two groups. The secondary outcomes included the difference in the proportion of patients achieving HbA1c < 7% at 3 months between the two groups, the incidence of self-reported hypoglycemia at 3 months, and the proportion of patients (baseline HbA1c ≥ 7%) with a HbA1c reduction ≥ 0.3%. The statistical analysis was performed using linear or logistic regression with inverse probability of treatment weighting with adjustments of confounding factors.ResultsThere was a 0.9% reduction of HbA1c in the compliance group and a 0.8% reduction in the non-compliance group (P < 0.001); 61.1% of the participants in the compliance group and 44.3% of the participants in the non-compliance group achieved a HbA1c level < 7% at 3 months (P < 0.001). The hypoglycemic events occurred in 7.1% of patients in the compliance group vs. 9.4% in the non-compliance group (P < 0.001).ConclusionThe decision tree can help physicians to treat their patients so that they achieve their glycemic targets with fewer hypoglycemic risks. (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01525693 & NCT01859598).Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13300-021-01075-1.

Critical impact of radiotherapy protocol compliance and quality in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas: Results from the 62092-22092 STRASS trial.

11566 Background: The EORTC 22092-62092 STRASS trial failed to detect a superiority of neoadjuvant radiotherapy in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma as compared to surgery alone. As radiotherapy (RT) was the experimental treatment, a comprehensive quality assurance program (RTQA) has been included in the study protocol in order to detect and correct potential RT deviations. We report here the overall trial RTQA results and its potential impact on patient’s outcomes in this international phase III trial. Methods: Plans from all patients randomized to the experimental preoperative RT arm were submitted to a multidisciplinary RTQA team, consisting of medical physicists and radiation-oncologists. Target volume parameters and tumor dose coverage were prospectively reviewed by the RTQA team but not all plans were made compliant. In order to evaluate the impact on oncological outcomes, a composite endpoint, overall RT compliance status, was created; patients were classified into two major groups: RT compliant (RC) group and non-compliant (NRC) group, defining whether RT was as concisely per protocol or not. This composite endpoint combined the information related to PTV coverage, target delineation, total dose received and overall treatment time. Both abdominal recurrence-free survival (ARFS) and OS were compared between RC and NRC patients using Cox’s proportional hazard model adjusted for age, sex, WHO performance status, tumor grade, histological subtype and tumor size at baseline (millimeters). Results: After final review, 75.2% (94 out of 125) of patients had compliant RT plans (65.6% were already compliant at first submission to RTQA team and 9.6% were made compliant after review). Most patients in the NRC (77.4%) had deviations linked to incorrect target volume delineations. 3-year ARFS was 67.2% (95% Confidence interval (CI): 58.0 – 77.8%) and 48.4% (34.3 – 68.2%) for RC and NRC group, respectively (adjusted HR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.38 – 5.07, p = 0.003). Corresponding OS at 3 years was 89.9% (95% CI: 83.6 – 96.3%) and 75.4% (95% CI: 61.9 – 91.8%) in the RC and NRC group with a trend in favor of RC (adjusted HR: 2.76, 95% CI: 0.91 – 8.43, p = 0.074). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first RTQA evaluation of a phase III sarcoma trial. The data suggests a significant benefit in terms of ARFS and a trend for OS in favor of the RT compliant group. RTQA in prospective clinical trials, investigating new RT techniques, dose levels and indications, continues to be an important and integral part of trial designing. Funding Source: EORTC, EORTC Cancer Research Fund, EUROSARC FP7 278472 and Kom op tegen Kanker (Stand up to Cancer), the Flemish Cancer Society.

Weight Loss Results and Compliance with Follow-up after Bariatric Surgery

PurposeThe importance of follow-up (FU) for midterm weight loss (WL) after bariatric surgery is controversial. Compliance to this FU remains challenging. Several risk factors for loss to FU (LtFU) have been mentioned. The aim was therefore to evaluate the association between WL and LtFU 3 to 5 years postoperatively and to identify risk factors for LtFU.Materials and MethodsA single-center cross-sectional study in the Netherlands. Between June and October 2018, patients scheduled for a 3-, 4-, or 5-year FU appointment were included into two groups: compliant (to their scheduled appointment and overall maximally 1 missed appointment) and non-compliant (missed the scheduled appointment and at least 1 overall). Baseline, surgical, and FU characteristics were collected and a questionnaire concerning socio-economic factors.ResultsIn total, 217 patients in the compliant group and 181 in the non-compliant group were included with a median body mass index at baseline of 42.0 and 42.9 respectively. Eighty-eight percent underwent a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The median percentage total weight loss for the compliant and non-compliant groups was 30.7% versus 28.9% at 3, 29.3% versus 30.2% at 4, and 29.6% versus 29.9% at 5 years respectively, all p>0.05. Age, persistent comorbidities and vitamin deficiencies, a yearly salary <20,000 euro, no health insurance coverage, and not understanding the importance of FU were risk factors for LtFU.ConclusionThree to 5 years postoperatively, there is no association between LtFU and WL. The compliant group demonstrated more comorbidities and vitamin deficiencies. Younger age, not understanding the importance of FU, and financial challenges were risk factors for LtFU.Graphical abstract

462 Redefining Positive Airway Pressure Adherence Phenotypes Utilizing Deep Neural Networks and Unsupervised Clustering

Abstract Introduction Improving positive airway pressure (PAP) adherence is crucial to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment success. We have previously shown the potential of utilizing Deep Neural Network (DNN) models to accurately predict future PAP usage, based on predefined compliance phenotypes, to enable early patient outreach and interventions. These phenotypes were limited, based solely on usage patterns. We propose an unsupervised learning methodology for redefining these adherence phenotypes in order to assist with the creation of more precise and personalized patient categorization. Methods We trained a DNN model to predict PAP compliance based on daily usage patterns, where compliance was defined as the requirement for 4 hours of PAP usage a night on over 70% of the recorded nights. The DNN model was trained on N=14,000 patients with 455 days of daily PAP usage data. The latent dimension of the trained DNN model was used as a feature vector containing rich usage pattern information content associated with overall PAP compliance. Along with the 455 days of daily PAP usage data, our dataset included additional patient demographics such as age, sex, apnea-hypopnea index, and BMI. These parameters, along with the extracted usage patterns, were applied together as inputs to an unsupervised clustering algorithm. The clusters that emerged from the algorithm were then used as indicators for new PAP compliance phenotypes. Results Two main clusters emerged: highly compliant and highly non-compliant. Furthermore, in the transition between the two main clusters, a sparse cluster of struggling patients emerged. This method allows for the continuous monitoring of patients as they transition from one cluster to the other. Conclusion In this research, we have shown that by utilizing historical PAP usage patterns along with additional patient information we can identify PAP specific adherence phenotypes. Clinically, this allows focus of PAP adherence program resources to be targeted early on to patients susceptible to treatment non-adherence. Furthermore, the transition between the two main phenotypes can also indicate when personalized intervention is necessary to maximize treatment success and outcomes. Lastly, providers can transition patients in the highly non-compliant group more quickly to alternative therapies. Support (if any):

Non-invasive assessment of urinary bladder compliance using ultrasound: first validation study based on clinical urodynamic study.

This study aims to validate a recently introduced non-invasive method, ultrasound bladder vibrometry (UBV), for the assessment of detrusor compliance in patients with neurogenic bladders. The study was carried out on 79 adult patients with neurogenic bladders (60 male and 19 female). The UBV test was performed on each patient to measure the Lamb wave group velocity (cg ) in the anterior bladder wall at every 50mL volume increment throughout the filling phase. Bladder compliance was assessed based on the trend of Lamb wave group velocity squared (cg 2 ) versus volume. A compliance index was defined to differentiate between the compliant and non-compliant bladders. Results of the UBV compliance assessment were validated using the readings of the corresponding urodynamic studies as the clinical gold standard. The Patients' bladders were divided into non-compliant and compliant groups by an experienced urologist using the information in the urodynamic study (UDS) recordings. The compliance index defined on the basis of cg 2 showed a significant difference (P<0.008) between the compliant and non-compliant groups. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.813, with 95% CI ranging from 0.709 to 0.892. Under the optimal criterion, the bladder was considered as non-compliant if the compliance index was less than 100 mL∙s2/m2, resulting in a sensitivity and specificity of 86.4% and 71.9%, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that UBV can be used as a non-invasive method for the determination of bladder compliance; thus, it can potentially serve as an alternative method to UDS for the appropriate patient groups.

Association between Patient Experience and Medication Compliance of Dyslipidemia: Using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015).

BackgroundThis study aimed to examine the relationship between patient experience and medication compliance of patients with dyslipidemia.MethodsBased on data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2015, the study examined 764 patients treated with dyslipidemia medication. Subjects who responded to the question “Do you currently take medication to lower your blood cholesterol?” with “daily taking” were categorized as the compliant group, and the remaining subjects were classified under the non-compliant group. The patient experience survey included four indicators, in which subjects were divided into groups with a positive and negative patient experience. Data on sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, and self-reported comorbid conditions were also collected.ResultsAfter adjusting the variables, the group with a positive response for the patient experience indicator “doctor spends enough time with the patient during consultation” was 1.89 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–3.48; P=0.04). For the indicator “doctor provides easy-to-understand explanations,” the group that showed a positive response was 2.74 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% CI, 1.39–5.39; P=0.004). For the indicator “doctor involves patients in decisions about care or treatment,” the group that showed a positive response was 2.07 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% CI, 1.02–4.22; P=0.04). However, for the indicator “doctor provides the patient a chance to ask questions about treatment,” positive patient experience had no significant association with medication compliance (95% CI, 0.77–2.36; P=0.30).ConclusionBuilding a good doctor-patient relationship with positive patient experiences can result in better outcomes for patient care through high medication compliance.

Adherence to follow-up examination after positive fecal occult blood test results affects colorectal cancer mortality: A Korea population-based cohort study

BackgroundThe impact of adherence to follow-up examination after a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) remains ill-defined. AimTo evaluate the impact of adherence to the follow-up examination on clinical outcomes in individuals with positive FOBT results. MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study involving Korean individuals aged 50 years or older who participated in the National Cancer Screening Program for CRC from 2009 to 2010. Individuals who underwent a confirmative examination within a year after positive FOBT results were included in compliant group, and those who did not were included in non-compliant group. The incidence and stage of CRC, and 5-year survival were compared between two groups. Results5,914 were diagnosed with CRC in the compliant group and 2,973 in the non-compliant group. The proportion of advanced-stage CRC was significantly higher in the non-compliant group (localized CRC 44.6% vs. 36.7% and distant CRC 8.7% vs. 12.5%, p< 0.0001). The survival probability within 5 years was 71.0% in the non-compliant group and 85.9% in the compliant group (hazard ratio 1.70, 95% CI, 1.52–1.90, p< 0.001). ConclusionIndividuals who underwent follow-up examination 1 year or more after positive FOBT had a lower survival rate compared with that in those who underwent examination within 1 year.

The Impact of Non-Compliance to a Standardized Risk-Adjusted Protocol on Recurrence, Progression, and Mortality in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

PurposeNon-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a potentially curable or controllable disease if strict adherence to a surveillance protocol is followed. Management and surveillance of NMIBC begins at the time of diagnosis up to a few years thereafter. There is scanty data in the literature evaluating the impact of non-compliance with the surveillance protocols on progression, recurrence, and mortality rate.Patients and MethodsAn observational, retrospective cohort study recruited data between 2012 and 2017 at two tertiary hospitals. Data were collected consecutively. NMIBC patients who had at least 3 years of follow-up data were included. Patients were divided into different groups based on their compliance with the cystoscopy follow-up protocol as recommended by the European guidelines. We compared the cystoscopy compliant group with the non-compliant group in view of recurrence, progression, and mortality. In addition, missing variable items during surveillance were calculated using a new scoring model to predict adverse outcomes.ResultsEighty-eight NMIBC patients met our criteria. Recurrence rate (RR), progression rate (PR), metastasis rate (MsR), and mortality rate (MR) are significantly higher in non-compliant group, RR: (92.6%) (P<0.001), PR: (54.1%) (P<0.001), MsR: (37.7%) (P<0.001), MR: (23.5%) (P= 0.002) respectively. In the subgroup analysis, intermediate and high-risk groups have a PR rate of zero in the compliant group, while it is 100% (P<0.001) and 56.4% (P=0.001) in the non-compliant group, respectively. Use of a Kaplan Meier (KM) graph shows that compliant patients had a better survival in comparison to non-compliant patients. Scoring there or more is statistically and clinically significantly associated with higher recurrence, progression, and mortality. RR: (94%) (P=0.016), PR: 49% (P<0.001) and MR (26%) (P=0.012).ConclusionNon-compliance to a standardized surveillance protocol in NMIBC is associated statistically and clinically with adverse outcomes in comparison to a compliant group. This mandates strict adherence to surveillance guidelines particularly in patients with high-risk disease.

Comprehensive Analysis to Uncover Determinants of Patient Appointment Compliance in Ophthalmology at the Kresge Eye Institute, USA.

IntroductionAppointment compliance (AC) has a significant impact on patient care; however, determinants of AC in Ophthalmology and its subspecialties remains elusive.MethodsWe performed a five-year retrospective analysis across Kresge Eye Institute (KEI) and its affiliated Michigan locations. A total of 597,364 appointments across >13 subspecialties were included. AC was the primary outcome of interest. Compliant (CO) and non-compliant (NC) groups were compared to the following variables: patient characteristics (gender, race, age, insurance), appointment rank (relative to patient history), scheduling location, month, and ophthalmic specialty, in regard to arrival and no-show.ResultsAmong all appointments, 59.77% were associated with a female patient and 79.16% of the total number of appointments depicted patient compliance. AC differed concerning specialty, with retina representing the highest compliance across all appointments. Among 200+ insurance providers, Medicare was most frequently used and represented the highest share of CO appointments. African Americans were the primary ethnicity served by KEI and had the highest number of NC appointments.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the impact of patient demographics, appointment characteristics, and ophthalmic subspecialty on AC. A better understanding of these determinants could allow for an increased CO for Ophthalmology practices.

343 Evaluating compliance with a remote self-monitoring weight program in low risk women and perinatal outcomes

To compare gestational weight gain (GWG), postpartum weight retention (PPWR) and other perinatal outcomes according to compliance with a remote self-monitoring weight program in low-risk women. Women were recruited in the first trimester for the Babyscripts program, which provided a mobile application, educational resources and an internet-connected digital scale during 2016-2018 from a single hospital-based clinic. Women with pre-gravid BMI ≤ 38, single gestation and without pre-existing diabetes or hypertension were invited to participate. Participants were instructed to weigh themselves weekly from initiation of the program to delivery. Demographics, GWG, PPWR and other outcomes were abstracted from the electronic medical records. Compliance was defined as weights recorded for ≥ 50% of weeks during participation. GWG and PPWR were analyzed as weight differences from first prenatal visit to delivery and 4-12 weeks postpartum, respectively. GWG goals were calculated using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for GWG per pre-gravid body mass index (BMI). Of the 442 women who participated, 298 (69%) were compliant (median of 22.5 weeks of weight measurements) and 135 (31%) were noncompliant (median of 7 weeks of weight measurements). There were significantly more nulliparas in the compliant group (68% vs. 54%, p=0.005) and more normal weight, less overweight, and less obese women in the compliant group (p=0.03). Mean GWG (13.4 kg ± 8.6 vs. 13.3 kg ± 5.3, p=0.91) and mean PPWR (3.0 kg ± 3.7 vs. 3.5 kg ± 4.6, p=0.46) were similar in compliant compared to noncompliant groups. There were no differences in GWG goals of inadequate (28% vs. 19%), adequate (40% vs. 44%), or excessive (33% vs. 36%), p=0.18. There were no differences in gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery or birthweight between the groups, p>0.05 for all comparisons. Compliance with a remote self-monitoring program of perinatal weight was higher among nulliparous, normal weight low-risk women, but there were no differences in GWG, PPWR, or other perinatal outcomes.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Bedside Evaluation for Early Sepsis Intervention: Addition of a Sepsis Response Team Leads to Improvement in Sepsis Bundle Compliance.

Sepsis is associated with high morbidity and mortality and high healthcare costs. We hypothesized that a multifaceted quality improvement project would lead to an improvement in compliance with the sepsis "bundles." Patients presenting to the emergency department that met criteria for sepsis at triage triggered notification of an emergency department physician and the sepsis response team in order to facilitate timely completion of the 3-hour bundles. The primary outcome was compliance with the seven sepsis bundle components. Secondary outcomes included all-cause inhospital mortality, hospital length of stay, and time in the emergency department. The study was conducted at a 404-bed tertiary academic medical center over a 2-year period. The study included patients that presented to the emergency department that met criteria for sepsis. The study included 163 patients. Overall compliance with the sepsis bundle was 79% (95% CI, 72-84%). There was significant improvement in comparison with the hospital's historical compliance of 37% (p < 0.001). Compliance with the individual bundle components ranged from 80% to 100%. Sixteen patients died (10%) in the hospital. There was no statistically significant difference between the compliant and noncompliant groups regarding the secondary outcomes of length of stay or inhospital mortality. This study found that implementation of a sepsis response team can improve compliance with completion of sepsis bundles. This indicates that it is feasible to implement a multidisciplinary quality initiative to improve timely treatment of patients with sepsis at an academic center using a resident-driven sepsis response team.

Long-Term Results of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy in Patients Who Failed to Complete the Program.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the results of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) in patients who did not complete the program. Methods: We divided 90 patients who failed to complete the TRT program were into 3 groups: 36 patients who only completed the first phase of the TRT program (Missing group; M), 34 patients who attended counselling for less than 6 months (Noncompliant group; NC) and 20 patients who attended counselling for more than 6 months but did not complete the TRT program (Compliant group; C). The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), tinnitus Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and a questionnaire regarding the reasons for dropout were obtained through a telephone survey. Results: Telephonic THI and VAS scores were significantly lower than the initial scores in the M and C groups but not in the NC group. Patients who were unsure about the effectiveness of TRT were prevalent in the NC group, and the poorest long-term THI results were registered in those patients. Conclusions: A fundamental cause of very poor TRT results was when patients were unsure about TRT. On the other hand, a single counselling session could be effective in reducing tinnitus annoyance in patients who accepted the TRT approach and trusted its efficacy.

The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway and cardiac complications in atrial fibrillation: a potential sex-based difference. The ATHERO-AF study

BackgroundAn integrated care approach is recommended to optimize management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The impact of the Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway on major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which are the main causes of death in AF, has not been explored. Material and methodsWe investigated the association between ABC compliance and MACE incidence in 1157 (2690 patient-years) nonvalvular AF patients from the ATHERO-AF study. A subgroup analysis by sex and high cardiovascular risk patients as defined by a 2MACE score ≥3 was performed. ResultsOverall, 428 (37%) patients composed the ABC-compliant group. During a median follow up of 23 (IQR 12-37) months, 64 MACE occurred (2.38%/year). Kaplan Meier curve analysis showed a higher rate of MACE in ABC non-compliant group compared to the ABC-compliant (log-rank test p=0.006). The risk of MACE increased by the number of non-fulfilled ABC criteria. On multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the ABC non-compliance was associated with an increased risk of MACE (Hazard ratio (HR) 2.244, 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) 1.129-4.462). Men were more likely to have suboptimal anticoagulation control (group A), while uncontrolled symptoms were more frequent in women. The association between non-ABC and MACE was more evident in men than women (HR 3.647, 95%CI 1.294-10.277) and in patients with 2MACE score ≥3 (HR 1.728, 95%CI 1.209-2.472). ConclusionAn integrated care ABC approach is associated with a reduced risk of MACE in the AF population, especially in men and in patients at high risk of MACE.

Side Plank Pose Exercises for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients-Some Concerns About a Randomized Controlled Trial.

In their recent article, Side Plank Pose Exercises for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients, Sarkisova, et. al. found no beneficial effect using the simple poses that Drs. Groessl, Sherman and I found successful in reversing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and degenerative scoliosis (DS). Although they tried to follow our protocol exactly, they did not. They did not distinguish thoracic from lumbar or thoracolumbar from complex (both thoracic and lumbar) curves, affecting the randomization. See Figure 2 in their study. The side plank is only intended to reverse lumbar and thoracolumbar curves, and actually exaggerates thoracic curves, and the thoracic component of complex curves. The vicissitudes of randomization placed 25 lumbar and thoracolumbar curves in the control and non-compliant groups, but no lumbar and only one thoracolumbar in the intervention group that did the side plank. This trial did not prove that the side plank does not reduce lumbar curves: none were tested.